Toothbrush cleansing system

ABSTRACT

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a toothbrush handle with a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein at least one end portion of the handle is compressible. The apparatus further comprises a receptacle having an open end portion and a closed end portion. The open end portion of the receptacle is mechanically connected to a cap that is adaptable to receive the compressible end portion of the handle. The interconnection between the cap and the toothbrush handle forms a sealed engagement there between.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates, generally, to the field oftoothbrush holders and, more specifically, to apparatuses and methodsfor toothbrush cleansing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is known in the art of toothbrush holders to provide a systemto cleanse the toothbrush bristles when the brush is not in use.Oftentimes the cleansing consists of using a container filled withantiseptic that can receive a bristle portion, or an entire neck portionof the toothbrush. The bristles of the toothbrush can then be sanitizedby soaking them in the antiseptic container which is balanced tomaintain an upright position, either by utilizing a mounting bracket orby other stabilizing methods. A handle portion of the toothbrush may beused as leverage to insert or remove the neck and bristle portions ofthe toothbrush from the antiseptic container.

[0003] An example of a toothbrush cleansing system can be found in U.S.Pat. No. 1,070,858 to Tryne. Tryne discloses a toothbrush holder thatincludes a wall mount and a sterilizer. The system includes a receptaclefor housing a disinfectant that is held in a fixed position by the wallmount. A cap having an elastic disc in its center encircles thetoothbrush holder while permitting the toothbrush to be passed into thereceptacle. The elasticity of the disc keeps the toothbrush in place.

[0004] While the invention disclosed by Tryne is useful for its intendedpurposes, it is oftentimes desirable to be able to cleanse the bristleportion of a toothbrush in an antiseptic or other aqueous solution in atravel environment, such as in an airplane, bus, hotel room or mount tostabilize the system may not be feasible or practical to implement.Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system that is able toutilize an antiseptic container for toothbrush cleansing while alsobeing adaptable to the unique conditions of travel environments, whereinthe mounting of the system in a fixed location may not be practical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Briefly described, the present invention comprises a system,including apparatuses and methods, for cleansing the bristles of atoothbrush in an aqueous antiseptic solution while the system is in atravel environment.

[0006] More particularly, in a first form, the apparatus of the presentinvention comprises a toothbrush handle with a first end portion and asecond end portion, wherein at least one end portion of the toothbrushhandle is compressible. The apparatus further comprises a receptaclehaving an open end and a closed end. The receptacle is adaptable toreceive the compressible end portion of the toothbrush handle. Theapparatus further comprises a cap mechanically connected to the open endof the receptacle. The cap is adaptable to receive the compressible endportion of the handle, wherein the interconnection between the cap andthe toothbrush handle forms a sealed engagement there between.

[0007] Other advantages of the present invention will become apparentupon reading and understanding the present specification when taken inconjunction with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] The invention will be more readily understood from a reading ofthe following specifications and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention isshown and wherein:

[0009]FIG. 1A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention wherein the capportion is integrated onto a rigid receptacle.

[0010]FIG. 1B displays an alternate representation of a toothbrushholder system wherein the cap portion is integrated onto a rigidreceptacle.

[0011]FIG. 2A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention wherein the capportion is integrated onto a flexible receptacle.

[0012]FIG. 2B displays alternate representation of a toothbrush holdersystem wherein the cap portion is integrated onto a flexible receptacle.

[0013]FIG. 3A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention wherein the capportion is integrated onto the toothbrush handle portion.

[0014]FIG. 3B displays an alternate representation of a toothbrushholder system according to embodiments of the present invention whereinthe cap portion is integrated onto the toothbrush handle portion.

[0015] The construction designed to carry out the invention willhereinafter be described, together with other features thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals representsimilar elements or steps throughout the several views, the toothbrushcleansing system of the preferred embodiment of the present inventionenables the utilization of common antiseptic solutions for toothbrushcleansing in travel environments where the mounting of the system in afixed location or predictable conditions for utilizing the system maynot be practical. The toothbrush cleansing system comprises, accordingto the preferred embodiment, a toothbrush comprising a handle portionand a neck portion attached to one end of the handle portion, whereinthe neck portion has a forward side and an aft side. A bristle portionis affixed to the forward side of the neck portion on the end of theneck portion opposite the end attached to the handle portion.

[0017]FIG. 1A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention. The system 100consists of a toothbrush handle 102 with a first end portion 104 and asecond end portion 106. At least one end portion of the toothbrushhandle 102 is compressible so that the diameter of the handle 102 alongthe compressible portion is less than the diameter of alongnon-compressible portion when the compressible portion of the handle 102is compressed by gripping or other methods. The toothbrush handle 102 isconstructed out of a compressible material such as plastic, rubber orany variety of flexible composite materials. The toothbrush furthercomprises a neck portion 108 having a forward side and an aft side thatis constructed out of a rigid material such as metal, hard plastic orthe like. The neck portion is attached to one end of the handle 102. Abristle portion 110 having bristles suitable for brushing teeth isattached to the forward side of the neck portion 108 on the end of theneck portion 108 opposite of the end attached to the handle 102.

[0018] The toothbrush holder system further comprises a receptacle 112that may be glass, plastic, hard rubber, a composite or other rigidmaterial having an open end portion 114 and a closed end portion 116.The receptacle 112 is adaptable to contain an aqueous solution 118 whichis preferably an antiseptic used for cleaning the bristles of atoothbrush. The open end of portion 114 the receptacle 112 has adiameter that is adaptable to receive the compressed diameter of thecompressible end portion of the toothbrush handle 102. When thecompressible portion of the toothbrush handle 102 and the open endportion 114 of the receptacle 112 are mechanically connected, a cap 120that is mechanically connected to the open end portion 114 of thereceptacle 106 is adaptable to receive the compressible end portion ofhandle 102. The interconnection between the cap 120 and the toothbrushhandle 102 is such that a sealed engagement is created there between.The sealed engagement between the compressed toothbrush handle 102 andthe cap 120 is sufficient to prevent the aqueous solution 118 fromescaping from the receptacle 112 and in contact with the bristle portion110 of the toothbrush when the system is in an environment where dynamicconditions may not be predictable, such as a travel environment.

[0019]FIG. 1B displays an alternate representation of the toothbrushholder system of FIG. 1A, wherein the cap 120 is adaptable to receivehandles 102 of various commercially available toothbrush designconfigurations.

[0020] Most of the components in FIG. 2A do not differ from those inFIG. 1A. Only the differences therefore will be discussed. FIG. 2Adisplays a representation of a toothbrush holder system according toembodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows the toothbrushhandle 102 of FIG. 1A with first and second compressible end portions,104 and 106 respectively, and a flexible receptacle 200. The flexiblereceptacle 200 may consist of plastic, rubber, a composite or otherflexible material and generally has an open end portion 202 and a closedend portion 204. The open end portion 202 of the receptacle 200 ismechanically connected to a cap 120 which is adaptable to receive an endportion of the compressible toothbrush handle 102. The interconnectionbetween the cap 120 connected to the flexible open end portion 202 ofthe receptacle 200 and the toothbrush handle 102 forms a sealedengagement there between. The sealed engagement between the compressedhandle 102 and the cap 120 is sufficient to prevent the aqueous solution118 from escaping from the receptacle 200 and in contact with thebristle portion 110 of the toothbrush.

[0021]FIG. 2B displays that the system of FIG. 2A is also adaptable to avariety of commercial toothbrush design configurations.

[0022] As in FIG. 2A, most of the components of FIG. 3A do not differfrom those in FIG. 1A. Again, only the differences will be discussed.FIG. 3A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention. This embodimentcomprises a toothbrush having a rigid handle 300 with a first endportion 302, a second end portion 304 and a collar portion 306 locatedbetween the first end portion 302 and the second end portion 304. Thecollar portion 306 of the rigid handle 300 forms an outer circumferencearound the handle 300 and is tapered toward the inner circumference ofthe handle 300 in order to receive the receptacle 308 described below.The tapered surface of the collar portion 306 is compressible andconsists of plastic, rubber, a flexible composite or other material,whereas the rigid handle 300 consists of non-flexible materials such asthose previously described herein.

[0023] The rigid receptacle 308 has an open end portion 310 and a closedend portion 312, wherein the open end portion 310 is adaptable toreceive the end portion 304 of the toothbrush handle 300 that isconnected to the neck portion 108 in order for the bristle portion 110to be able to be in contact with the aqueous solution 118. The rigidreceptacle 308 is adaptable to receive the collar portion 306 of handle300. The interconnection between the open end portion 310 of receptacle308 and the collar portion 306 of handle 300 forms a sealed engagementthere between. The sealed engagement between the collar portion 306 andthe rigid receptacle 308 is sufficient to prevent the aqueous solution118 from escaping from the receptacle 308 and the aqueous solution 118in contact with the bristle portion 110 of the toothbrush.

[0024]FIG. 3B shows that the system of FIG. 3A is also adaptable to avariety of toothbrush design configurations.

[0025] The present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to beillustrative rather than restrictive. Alternate embodiments will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art to which the present inventionpertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, thescope of the present invention is described by the appended claims andsupported by the foregoing description.

We claim:
 1. A toothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handle with afirst end portion and a second end portion, wherein at least one endportion of said toothbrush handle is compressible; a receptacle havingan open end portion and a closed end portion, said receptacle adaptableto receive the compressible end portion of said toothbrush handle; and acap mechanically connected to the open end portion of said receptacle,said cap adaptable to receive the compressible end portion of saidtoothbrush handle, wherein the interconnection between said cap and saidtoothbrush handle forms a sealed engagement there between.
 2. Atoothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handle with a first endportion and a second end portion; and a receptacle having an open endportion and a closed end portion, said open end portion of saidreceptacle being compressible and adaptable to receive an end portion ofsaid toothbrush handle, wherein the interconnection between said openend portion of said receptacle and said handle forms a sealed engagementthere between.
 3. A toothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handlehaving a first end portion, a second end portion and a collar portionlocated between said first end portion and said second end portion,wherein said collar portion is compressible; and a receptacle having anopen end portion and a closed end portion, wherein said open end portionis adaptable to receive said collar portion of said toothbrush handleand the interconnection between said open end portion of said receptacleand said collar portion of said toothbrush handle forms a sealedengagement there between.